Bench convertible into bedstead for vehicles



Aug. 25, 1931. c. A. POIROT BENCH CONVERTIBLE INTO BEDSTEAD'FOR VEHICLES Filed Oct. 1'7, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' Aug. 25, 1931. H c. A. POIROT 1,320,7155

. BENCH CONVERTIBLE INTO BEDSTEAD FOR VEHICLES Filed 0c t. 1'7, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 25, 1931 "UNITED snares PATNT CFFHE LOUISYCONSTANT AD'RIEN POIROI, OF VILLEMONBLE, SEINE, FRANCE BENCH CONVERTIBLE INTO BEDSTEAID FOR VEHICLES I Application filed October 17, 1929, Serial No. 400,410, and in France October 22, 19 28.

This invention relates to a bench or seat, of which the superposed elements, some of which are movable enable it to be quickly converted, without the addition of supple- 6 mentary parts, into a number of bedsteads equal to the number of seats comprised by the bench. This invention greatly enhances the comfort of travelers, particularly on journeys that take place at night, by rail '10 ship, aircraft, automobile or the like.

' The accompanying drawings illustrate the device by way of example as applied to the compartment of an ordinary corridor railway carriage offering in succession on each side of the compartment either four seats on a bench by day, or four beds or bunks by night assuming that there are eight passengers to the compartment. The number of places may of course be greater or less with similar apparatus, according to the degree of comfort desired, the height of the compartment, and the type of locomotion utilized. I

Figure 1 is an elevation of the device in the position which it occupies in the day time, the bench being provided with an inclined and padded back.

Figure 2 is a cross section through Figure 1 v 1 Figure 3 is an elevation of the device in its night position, without the padded back.

Figure 4: is a plan view from above the metallic frame of one of the movable benches in its dayposition, assuming for the sake of clearness, that its cushion or resilient mattress has been removed together with the jointed metallic ladder.

V Figure 5 is a side view of the jointed metallic ladder in its night position.

Figure 6 is a corresponding view in the day position.

Figure 7 is a cross section of a compartment provided with the device in its day position. without the padded back.

Figure 8 is a corresponding view in the night position and Figure 9 shows a balancing device for operating the frames.

The bench is fixed between six metallic col- 'umns, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, shown in Figures l and 1, namely one on each corner and one in the middle of each of the long sides, the height of which is equal to that of the compartment or at least to that of the highest bed. Between these six' columns, which serve both as guides and as supports for the beds, slide movable metallic bedstead frames 2 and 3 hereinafter described, which are raised or lowered at will when an alteration A wooden platform 1, shown in Figure 1,

fixed to the floor and covered with a cushion or resilient mattress which constitutes by nightthe lower bed 1, shown in Figure 3 A movable metallic frame 2 shown in Figure 1, enclosing a metal trellis work optionally provided with springs in its periphery, and similarly covered with a cushion or resilient mattress fixed to the said frame;

The metal frame comprises at each corner andin the middle of each of the long sides an enlarged rounded portion 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16, as shown in Figure 4:, having an eye toreceive one of the six metal columns serving as guides and supports for the said frame. The under surface of this frame is provided in the immediate neighbourhood of each of the six eyes with a bolt 17, 18 and 19, as shown in Figure 3, which lodges in a staple formed horizontally for this purpose in the metal column. This bolt is for the purpose of sustaining the frame in its night position. At each of its ends the frame is provided with a window protector 20, 21 (Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 8) "made of metalllc trellis work or of fabric provided with hinges at the level of the top surface of the cushion'or resilient mattress, in such a mannor as to enableit to be placed verticallyv at night and to be lowered horizontally to facilitate manipulation, two movable semi-cushions placed end to end adapted to be placed at night on a luggage rack 4, and to constitute the upper bed 4, as shown in Figure 3.

At about three quarters of the height of the compartment from the floor the device is provided with a luggage carrier 4, shown in Figure 1, of the length of the movable metallic frames, and equipped with metal lattice work. This luggage carrier, I fixed both to the metal columns and to the longitudinal partition of the compartment, constitutes at night, after the cushion or the two half cushions have been placed in position, the upper bed 4, as shown in Figure 3. Furthermore, in order to facilitate access to the upper bunks, a jointed metal ladder is used. The lower end of the ladder is held between abutments 22, 23, 24, and 25 (Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8) fixed to the floor against the side wall of the compartmentsituated between the two benches, on the side opposite to the corridor in such a way as to enable it to pivot in a vertical direction. A joint 26, (Figure 5) placed at about 20 cms. from its lower end enables the first part of the ladder to be placed horizontally on the floor at night, and enables the upper part thereof to be erected at an equal distance from the wall of the compartment, in order to facilitate the use thereof. The top rung is placed upon 2 hooks 27 and 28 (Figures 5, 7 and 8) fixed to the ceiling of the compartment. The ladder, which is provided with two other joints, 29 and 30 (Figure 6) at one third and two thirds of its length, is folded into three and held in a vertical position during the day against the side wall of the compartment by the aid of a chain and a hook 31 (Figure 6) fixed to the said wall.

On the other hand the application of the device to the bench compartments provided with padded backs is effected by placing the bench at a certain distance from the partition 32 Figure 2) in such a manner as to leave su cient space to permit of the passage of the movable benches 2 and 3 without rubbing against the padded back fixed to the side partition. Moreover, for benches offering more comfort and comprising an inclined padded back the arrangement is as follows The back of the seat consists of a movable panel 33 (Figures 1 and 2) padded throughout its surface except in the immediate neighbourhood of the rear central metal column, the upper part of which is fixed to the partition 32 by means of hinges 34, 35, 36,

37, 38 and 39 (Figure 1) and the back of V which islodged at night in the said partition. The lower part of the panel is situated at the level of the upper surface of the bench. The movable padded back is placed in its inclined day position, by pulling it by means of two tongues of fabric 40 and 41 (Figure 1) fixed to its lower part, the latter abutting against the rear central column. It is maintained in this position on the one hand by means of two locking bolts 42 and 43 (Figure 1) fixed to the front surface of its lower part and lodging in a keeper formed for this purpose in the rear cen-v tral column, and on the other hand by two cleats 44 and 45 (Figures 1 and 2) fixed to the partition 32 underneath and at each end of the movable back. These two cleats turning on pivots are interposed by day between the rear face of the movable back and the partition. The back is held in its vertical night position by means of said cleats, which then bear upon its lower front face. This combined method of locking bolts and cleats employed for fixing the movable back, may, however, be replaced either by a system exclusively employing locking bolts, or by a system exclusively employing cleats, according to the same principle.

The apparatus operates in the following manner :Starting from the day position, in the case of a bench having an inclined padded back as shown in Figures 1 and 2,

' the movable cushion or the two semi-cushions pushed back against the partition. The twomovable beds 2 and 3 are successively removed, sliding between the six metal columns until they reach their night position, and in order to keep them in place, a thrust is exerted upon the locking bolts placed underneath the frames.

In order to facilitate the operating of the frames 2 and 3 there may be added thereto a balancing device arranged at each'extremity of the said frames as shown in Figure 9, which is an end View of the beds as a whole. The frames 2 and 3 are bound by chains'or belts 46 and 47 respectively, passing over pulleys 48 and 49 provided with double grooves to balance weights 50 and 51.

The window protectors of the movable beds are raised into a vertical position, and finally the jointed metallic ladder is placed in position by fixing its top rung to the books 27 and 28. The apparatus is returned into its day position by reversing the above operations. 7

What I claim is 1. A seat convertible into a plurality of superposed bunks for use in railway carriages, ships, aircraft, automobile vehicles and the like, comprising fixed corner posts, bunk frames vertically slidable on the corner posts and means for temporarily securing the bunk frames to the corner posts at various heights for use as bunks.

2. A seat convertible into a plurality of superposed bunks for use in railway carriages, ships, aircraft, automobile vehicles and the like, comprising fixed corner posts, bunk frames verticallyslidable on the corner posts and means for temporarily securing the bunk frames to the corner posts at various heights for use as bunks and a bunk frame fixed to the corner posts above the uppermost slidable bank frame.

3. A seat convertible into a plurality of superposed bunks, for use in railway carriages, ships, aircraft, automobile vehicles and the like, comprising six fixed posts, four being located at the corners of the seat and the other two at the middle of the two longer sides, bunk frames vertically slidable on the posts, and means for temporarily securing the bunk frames to the posts at various heights for use as bunks.

4. A seat convertible into a plurality of superposed bunks, for use in railway carriages, ships, aircraft, automobile vehicles and the like, comprising fixed corner posts, bunk frames vertically slidable on the corner posts, means for temporarily securing the bunk frames to the corner posts at various heights for use as bunks, and resilient beds such as spring mattresses, cushions and the like placed upon the bunk frames, the bunk frames and beds resting upon one another on the floor to form a seat when not required for use as bunks.

5. A seat convertible into a plurality of superposed bunks, for use in railway carriages, ships, aircraft, automobile veh1cles and the like, comprising fixed corner posts, a bunk frame fixed to the corner posts near the top, movable bunk frames vertically slidable on the corner posts below the fixed bunk frame, resilient beds such as spring mattresses, cushions and the like placed upon the bunk frames, and a resilient bed placed upon the floor underneath the bunk frames, the movable bunk frames and all the beds resting upon one another on the floor to form a seat when not required for use as bunks.

6. A seat convertible into a plurality of superposed bunks, for use in railway carriages and the like, comprising six fixed posts, four being located at the corners of the seat and the other two at the middle of the two longer sides, a bunk frame fixed upper fixed bunk frame and the stationary bunk frame on the floor, means for temporarily securing the slidable bunk frames to the posts at about one-quarter and one-half of the height of the carriage from the floor for use as bunks, and resilient beds placed upon the four bunk frames, the two slidable bunk frames being adapted to be lowered with their beds on to the lowest bed, and the bed on the upper fixed bunk frame being adapted to be removed fromsits bunk frame and placed upon the other beds when lowered to form a seat.

7. A seat convertible into a plurality of superposed bunks, for use in railway carriages, ships, aircraft, automobile vehicles and the like, comprising fixed corner posts, bunk frames vertically slidable on the corner posts and sliding bolts mounted on the under sides of the bunk frames for tempo- 1 rarily securing the bunk frames to the corner posts at various heights for use as bunks, the corner posts being formed with apertures adapted to serve as staples to engage with the sliding bolts. I

8. A seat convertible into a plurality of superposed bunks, for use in railway carria-ges and the like, comprising fixed corner posts, bunk frames vertically slidable on the corner posts, means for temporarily securing the bunk frames to the corner posts at various heights for use as bunks and win- (low-protectors hinged to the upper edges of both ends of the slidable bunk frames.

9. A seat convertible into a plurality of superposed bunks, for use in railway carriages and the like, comprising six fixed posts, four being located at the corners of the seat and the other two at the middle of the two longer sides, a bunk frame fixed to the posts at about three-quarters of the height of the carriage from the floor, this bunk frame being adapted to serve as a luggage rack when not in use for a bunk, a stationary bunk frame on the floor of the carriage between the posts, two bunk frames vertically slidable on the posts between the upper fixed bunk frame and the stationary bunk frame on the fioor, window-projectors hinged to the upper edges of both ends of the slidable bunk frames, means for temporarily securing theslidable bunk frames to the posts at about one-quarter and one-half of the height of the carriage from the floor for use as bunks, and resilient beds placed upon the four bunk frames, the two slidable bunk frames being adapted to be lowered with their beds on to the lowest bed, andthe bed on the upper fixed bunk frame being adapted to be removed from its bunk frame and placed upon the other beds when lowered to form a seat.

10. A seat as claimed in claim 5, the up permost bed being made in at least two parts to facilitate removal from the seat to the fixed upper bunk frame and conversely. I

11. A seat convertible into a plurality of superposed bunks, for use in railway carriages, ships, aircraft, automobile vehicles and the like, comprising fixed corner posts, bunk frames vertically slidable on the corner posts, means for temporarily securing the bunk frames to the corner posts at various heights for use as bunks, resilient beds such as spring mattresses, cushions and the like placed upon the bunk frames, the bunk frames and beds resting upon one another on the floor to form a seat when not required for use as bunks, and an inclined padded back for the seat, hinged at its upped edge to the wall of the vehicle, adapted to be rocked back into a vertical position to allow the slidable bunk frames to be raised and lowered past it, and adapted to be rocked forward when the bunk frames are lowered, and means such as sliding locking bolts and pivoted abutments for holding the back in position.

12. A seat convertible into a plurality of superposed bunks, for use in railway carriages, ships, aircraft, automobile vehicles and the like, comprising fixed corner posts, bunk frames vertically slidable on the corner posts, pulleys journalled at the top of the posts, counter-weights adapted to counterbalance the weight of the slidable bunk frames, and tensile members such as belts,

cords, chains and the like-attached at one end to the bunk frames and at the other end to the counterweights and running over the pulleys.

13. A seat convertible into a plurality of superposed bunks, for use in railway carria-ges and the like, comprising six fixed posts, four being located at the corners of the seat and the other two at the middle of the two longer sides, a bunk frame fixed to the posts at about three-quarters of the height of the carriage from the floor, this bunk frame being adapted to serve as a luggage rack when not in use for a bunk, a stationary bunk frame on the floor of the carriage between the posts, two bunk frames vertically slidable on the posts between the upper fixed bunk frame and the stationary bunk frame on the floor, windowprotectors hinged to the upper edges of both ends of the slidable bunk frames, means for temporarily securing the slidable bunk frames to the posts at about one-quarter and placed :upon the four 'ibunk' frames, the two slidable bunk frames being adapted to'be lowered with their beds onto the lowest bed, and the. bed on the upper fixed bunk-frame being adapted to be removedifrom its'bunk frame and placed upon the-other beds when lowered to form a seat, and the uppermost bed being madein at least 1 two parts to facilitate removal from the seat to the fixed upper bunk frame and conversely, an apron secured to the uppermost bed and adapted to protect the beds frombeing soiled when being used as a seat, an inclined padded, back for the seat, hingedat its upper. edge to the wall of the vehicle, adapted to be rocked back into a vertical position to allow the slidable bunk frames to be raised and lowered past it, and adapted to-be rocked forward when the'bunkframes arei'lowered, means suchas sliding locking bolts and pivoted abutments for holding the-back in position, and a jointed metal ladder adapted to be extended and supported so as to facilitate access to the upper bunks a-nd to'bc folded compactly when not in use.

In testimony whereof I have signed name to this specification.

' LOUIS CONSTANT ADRIEN POIROT.

one-half of the height of the carriage from the floor for use as bunks, resilient beds 

